The following New Business Checklist is designed to assist new and existing businesses in developing marketing strategy and materials:

Marketing Plan

While some businesses begin with well-researched plans for reaching their defined target markets and for ramping sales, many simply enter the marketplace with intuition, expertise and hope. Whether you are just starting out or are looking for a marketing plan to chart your business's course for the future, having a plan is crucial to success. A good marketing plan defines target market/s, identifies competitors, refines your marketing strategy, identifies opportunities, and provides a clear sense of direction for your marketing and sales efforts.

Logo

If done properly, you will have one logo for the life of your business. Typically a logo is not a complex illustration, but rather a simple graphic element to clearly define a business within its target market. As such, the colors, lines, and logo elements should be visually appealing and interesting to the target market.

Brand Profile

A brand profile identifies the colors, shapes, and style portrayed by a business's identity (logo, Web site, office space, etc.) and the values and image exuded by its employees and customer relationships. In many ways, the Brand Profile elaborates very specifically on components of the marketing plan.

Business Cards

Your business card can fold, blink, glow in the dark, or sing a show tune – but whatever it does; it should be the standard size. Prospective customers store cards in rolodexes and plastic business card organizer sleeves. So, if your card is larger than the standard size, it will likely be thrown away or lost.

There are many ways to make the 2'x3.5" space more interesting and informative to prospects, including printing on a non-traditional material (a plastic, for example), using colors creatively, or designing a folding business card to act as a miniature brochure.

Stationery

When was the last time you sent a note of thanks to a prospect, or a note of appreciation to a customer? If you can't think of the last time, its been far too long.

Improve your client relationships and increase exposure of your company image — consider the following:

• Letterhead
• Note Cards
• Envelopes
• Mailing Labels

Web site

A Web site is a modern day brochure for your business — and so much more. Online, you can inform prospective and existing clients about your products or services, where you are located, and why they should buy from you. Unlike a brochure, however, a Web site enables prospects to contact you on-demand, at the click of a button. Even the simplest of Web sites can positively impact your bottom line.

A Web site should be search engine optimized, consistent with your other branding efforts, simple, succinct, and organized. Scrolling should always be kept to a minimum, especially on primary pages, such as the home page.

Press Release/s

If a tree falls in the woods, but no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

If your business exists, but no one knows about it, will you generate any revenue? Absolutely not.

Periodic press releases informing your target market and business community about news in your organization will remind prospective customers of your existence and expertise. Community awareness generates leads, which you can convert to sales.

Advertisement/s

In addition to written press releases, back up your communications with visual advertisements in local or regional publications. Advertisements should be interesting, free of visual or verbal clutter, and consistent with your other marketing efforts.